male whiptail lizards are called Bloublou. The females are dull brown
a Prikitchi couple or Parakeets. The mate for life
a Blenchi ((Blue-tailed Emerald Hummingbird)
a Pelican at Blue Bay Golf
a Kinikini (Sparrow Hawk) at our neighbor's house
Not a bird, but a good flyer, the Raton djanochi (Common Bat) likes to scoop sugar at night
the Tropiaal (Oriole) is fiercely competitive, certainly when sugar is at stake
Barica Hels (Banana quits) just love sugar and visit the source in droves
Black-necked stilts at Blue Bay Golf, the locals call them Makambas
a young Makuaku (Magnificent Frigatebird) soars high in the sky
For a small island Curacao has an amazingly rich
flora and fauna. The closeness to the South American mainland means that there is
a frequent exchange of birds.
Flamingos are known to travel daily from Venezuela to Curacao and back.
Large parts of the island
still have a low population density and are covered with what locals call the Mondi or Kunuku, a dense blanket of cactus and thorny
plants. This forms an ideal habitat for lizards, iguanas, birds, feral pigs and free roaming goats.
Some species like
pigs, hares, goats and donkeys have been introduced by the Spaniards in the early 16th century and still have those original
genes.
Recently introduced and thriving species
are the Sparrow and Saffron Finch.
There are no real dangerous animals on
Curacao although an encounter with a full grown boar can be pretty scary and a sting of a scorpion really hurts.
We lived practically in the
Kunuku so wildlife was always close by, be it a scorpion on the porche or a flock of goat trying to ruin the garden. We soon found
out that most birds really like sugar.
you better stop when he is crossing the road
the Flamingos in the salt ponds of Jan Kock frequently travel to and from Venezuela
an Alablanka, the Bare Eyed Pigeon
Iguanas are skilled climbers
introduced in the seventies, the Saffraanvink (Saffron Finch) is thriving on Curacao
a scorpion on the porche. The sting is a bit painful but you will survive
